Also, the wedding photography is generally the second largest expense on your big day after the reception costs, so you want to make sure you get value for money! Hence - it's quite important to make the right choice when choosing your photographer and your photography package.
There are things you need to consider and be aware of wwhen choosing a photographer / photography package:
Company VS Individual
Some wedding photographers run their own 'one-man-band' companies where who you see is who you get. The person you meet with will be the person who takes your photos on the day and then liaises with you after your wedding.
Larger companies often employ a number of photographers and you might not know which one will be shooting your wedding day. The person you meet with at the pre-wedding meeting might not be the person who ends up photographing your wedding.
Some prefer the 'one-man-bands' for their personalised service and safety of knowing just what you are getting, others prefer the larger companies because they may view these as more prestigious and experienced.
Whatever your preference, it is just important to know what type of company you are booking with, so you don't get a surprise 2 weeks before your wedding when the photography company tells you that Bob is now shooting your wedding instead of Betty!
Style of Photography
Before meeting with a bunch of prospective photographers, have an idea in mind of what type of style you would like your photographs to be. Search the internet and print a couple of example shots which reflect the style you are going for. At your meetings, you can compare these shots to the examples the photographers show you and see whether your styles match.
Each photographer has their own style of photography and most will tell you on their website or at your first meeting what their general 'style' is.
Some photographers will describe themselves as having a 'natural' style - using minimal photographic effects and minimal photo editing to create raw and 'real' photographs. These photographers often try to capture the 'candid' moments on your wedding day and generally adopt an unobtrusive style, preferring to move around in the background. Adopting this style will result in your photos looking relaxed and pure, with a lot of spontaneous action shots and less 'posed' photos.
Other photographers adopt a more 'glamour' style which is more constructed and posed and photos often have more photographic effects which are incorporated in post-wedding editing. These photographers often use a lot of props and artificial light to create their shots.
Some photographers may have more of an 'artistic' style. These photographs are often not just straight 'head' shots, but incorporate different elements such as photographing from different angles or using an alternative composition in the photo. These photos can add a bit of flare to your wedding album and help you stand out from the crowd.
But the important thing to remember is to convey what style you want to the photographer and ensure that their stated style matches with what you are looking for!
Photographic Locations
Most photographers will work with you to decide upon which locations you would like to visit to have your wedding photographs taken, and they generally have a good idea of places that suit photography and your chosen style.
As a general rule, you will have some photographs at the area(s) where you are having your ceremony / reception, at a 'natural' location (eg: beach or park), and at a man-made location (eg: alleyway, in front of buildings).
If you would like to choose some locations yourself, think of locations that reflect your personalities. Are you enthusiastic beach-goers? If so, some photographs on the beach or on a jetty may suit you. Think of what will reflect your personalities - there is no point in having photographs next to a motorcycle if you can't stand motorcycles!
Photography Packages
One of the most confusing parts of choosing a photographer is making sense of their packages. Some quote 'package prices' that include their time on the day, a set number of photographs, a standard album and a complimentary print, whereas others quote you for their time on the day and then you can pick and choose all the other items as you would like.
Things you should think about when choosing a package are:
- Do you want an album? If so, what type?
- Do you want your (full size) prints on a disc so you can print yourself, or are you happy to buy prints through your photographer?
- Do you want your photographer to be present before the ceremony (at the bride / groom's preparation places) and during the reception? If so, this will most likely be an extra cost.
Also remember to decide on what is important to you. Don't buy a package deal if you're not too keen on the idea of an album. You may find it cheaper and easier to just purchase the photographs on a disc and then print your own album at a later date. So make sure you have these discussions with potential photographers before you book!
